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KS4J834 R094 TA2 30 min read 10 question quiz 13 marks of written practice

R094 TA2: Planning Digital Graphics for Products

Purpose and conventions of digital graphics

What the graphic is for

PurposeWhat it has to doExample product
Advertise or promoteMake the audience want something, and tell them how to get itA poster for an event, a social media advert
InformGet facts across clearly and quicklyA notice, a map, an infographic
EducateHelp somebody learn or understandA diagram on a revision sheet
EntertainEngage, amuse or exciteGame artwork, a magazine cover

Most graphics do more than one of these, but one purpose leads, and it decides the layout: an advert leads with the offer and the call to action, an information graphic with clarity.

Layout conventions

  • Hierarchy: the most important element is the largest or strongest, so it is read first.
  • Focal point: one element draws the eye, often an image placed on a third.
  • Alignment and grid: elements line up on a grid, so the page looks ordered.
  • White space: empty space around elements, so the important ones stand out.
  • Proximity: related information is grouped together.
  • Consistency: the identity's fonts, colours and logo are used the same way everywhere.
  • Call to action: what the audience should do next, and how.
Composition: thirds, grid, hierarchy and the Z patternFour composition ideas applied to the same rectangular page. The rule of thirds divides the page into a three by three grid and places the subject on an intersection rather than in the centre, which reads as more dynamic. Grid and alignment place the content in columns with gutters between them, with the headline spanning the full width and every element sharing the same left and right edge, which is the single clearest difference between amateur and professional layout. Visual hierarchy uses size and weight so the largest element is read first, a smaller subheading second and the body text last, which controls the order information arrives in. The Z pattern describes how the eye moves across a poster: along the top, diagonally down, then along the bottom, which is why the call to action is placed at the bottom right where the eye finishes.The same page, four composition ideassubjectRule of thirds: the subject sits on an intersection, not in the middleheadline spans the full gridGrid and alignment: columns, gutters, and a shared left and right edgeFIRSTSecond, and smallerthen the detailHierarchy: size and weight decide what is read first, second and third1234call to actionZ pattern: the eye crosses, drops and crosses again, so the action goes last
Composition is why two pages with identical content can read completely differently.

Technical properties of digital graphics

Pixels, resolution and size

Resolution for print and for screenThree panels on resolution. First, print: an A4 poster is 210 by 297 millimetres, and at 300 dots per inch it needs 2480 by 3508 pixels. Second, a warning: a photograph of 1200 by 800 pixels printed at 300 dpi is only about 102 by 68 millimetres; stretched to the full width of A4 it drops to about 145 dpi and looks soft, because enlarging an image cannot add detail that was never captured. Third, screen: only pixel dimensions count, and dpi means nothing. Typical sizes are a square social post of 1080 by 1080, a story or reel of 1080 by 1920, a web banner of 1500 by 500 and a full-screen slide of 1920 by 1080. The formula: pixels needed equals print size in inches times dpi, where inches are millimetres divided by 25.4. Work it out at the planning stage, so that images big enough are sourced before they are needed.Resolution: how many pixels a graphic needs depends on where it is goingPRINT: A4 POSTER297 mm210 mmat 300 dpi:2480 × 3508 pixelsA 1200 × 800 PHOTOprinted at 300 dpi:102 × 68 mmstretched to A4 width:about 145 dpi, and softenlarging cannot add detailSCREEN: PIXELS ONLYSquare social post1080 × 1080Story or reel1080 × 1920Web banner1500 × 500Full-screen slide1920 × 1080dpi means nothing on a screen:only the pixel dimensions countpixels needed = print size in inches × dpi (inches = mm ÷ 25.4)Work it out at the planning stage, so you source images big enough before you need them.
Print is measured in millimetres and dpi. Screen is measured in pixels.

Colour mode

Decide it from the destination at the start, not at export: CMYK for anything printed, RGB for anything on a screen.

RGB and CMYK comparedTwo sets of three overlapping circles, comparing additive and subtractive colour. On the left, RGB: red, green and blue circles overlap and their centre is white, because screens emit light and adding all three gives white. On the right, CMYK: cyan, magenta and yellow circles overlap and their centre is black, because ink absorbs light and adding all three approaches black. The table underneath compares them. RGB is used by screens, phones and projectors; CMYK by printing presses and office printers. RGB has three channels; CMYK has four, the fourth being key, or black. RGB has the wider gamut, so bright greens and cyans visible on screen dull down when converted to CMYK. RGB artwork needs only 72 to 144 pixels per inch; CMYK print artwork needs around 300 pixels per inch at final size. RGB is delivered as JPG, PNG, WEBP or SVG; CMYK as a press ready PDF or TIFF. The colour mode should be chosen from the destination at the start of the project, because converting at the end is when the colour shift becomes a surprise.RGB adds light. CMYK subtracts it.whiteRGBscreens emit light: add all three and you get whiteblackCMYKink absorbs light: add all three and you approach blackUsed byscreens, phones, projectorsprinting presses, office printersChannelsred, green, bluecyan, magenta, yellow, key (black)Gamutwider: bright greens and cyansnarrower: those colours dull downResolution72 to 144 ppi is plentyabout 300 ppi at final sizeDeliver asJPG, PNG, WEBP, SVGpress-ready PDF or TIFFChoose the mode from the destination at the start. Converting at the end is where the surprise happens.
Design a poster in RGB and the greens you chose will not be the greens that print.

Raster or vector

The logo and any type should be vector, so they scale to any size. Photographs are raster, and need enough pixels for their largest use.

Raster and vector under enlargementThe same mark enlarged four times, drawn twice. The top row is a raster version: the shape is stored as a grid of pixels, so enlarging it simply makes each pixel bigger, and by four times the curve has become a visible staircase of squares. The bottom row is a vector version: the shape is stored as a mathematical path, so at every size the curve is recalculated and stays perfectly smooth. Raster formats, JPG, PNG, WEBP and TIFF, are the right choice for photographs, because a photograph genuinely is detail recorded per pixel. Vector formats, SVG, AI, EPS and PDF, are the right choice for logos, icons, diagrams and type, because one file then serves everything from a sixteen pixel favicon to a billboard.The same mark, enlarged four times1x2x3x4xRASTERpixels: enlarging makes the pixels biggerVECTORpaths: enlarging recalculates the curveRaster is right for photographsJPG, PNG, WEBP, TIFFDetail per pixel is exactly what a photo isVector is right for logos and typeSVG, AI, EPS, PDFFavicon to billboard from one file
A logo delivered only as a JPG is a logo that cannot go on a van.

File formats

FormatTypeUse it forNotes
SVGVectorLogos and icons on screenScales to any size; small files
AI, EPS, AFDESIGNVectorWorking files and print logosNeed design software to open
PSD, XCF, AFPHOTORaster, layeredWorking filesKeep layers, masks and live text
PNGRasterScreen graphics that need transparencyLossless, so larger than JPG
JPGRasterPhotographs on screenLossy compression; no transparency
PDFEitherPrint-ready filesEmbeds fonts and keeps vectors
TIFFRasterHigh-quality print imagesLarge, lossless
GIFRasterSimple animationOnly 256 colours
Lossless and lossy compression comparedTwo rows comparing lossless and lossy compression. The lossless row, covering PNG, FLAC, ZIP and TIFF, shows an original sequence of blocks compressed into a smaller file and then opened again, with the result identical to the original, because nothing was discarded. The lossy row, covering JPG, MP3, MP4 and AAC, shows the original being saved three times in succession, and the blocks fade a little more with each save: every re-save discards more detail permanently, so the quality degrades generation by generation and nothing can be recovered. That is the practical reason for keeping a lossless master and exporting a lossy copy for delivery, rather than editing and re-saving the export.Lossless gives it back. Lossy never does.LOSSLESSPNG · FLAC · ZIP · TIFForiginalcompresssmaller fileopenidentical to the originalnothing was discardedLOSSYJPG · MP3 · MP4 · AACoriginalre-savesave 1re-savesave 2re-savesave 3Each save discards more. The detail is gone and cannot be recovered, which is why you edit the master and export a copy.
Open and re-save the same JPG two hundred times and it turns into coloured blocks.

Visualisation diagrams and asset tables

The planning documents are part of Task 1 of the set assignment, and you build from them in Task 2. The Task 1 guide has a complete visualisation diagram for a worked example.

The visualisation diagram

One for each product, annotated well enough that somebody else could produce the graphic without asking a question:

  • Canvas size and orientation, in millimetres for print or pixels for screen
  • Every colour as a value, #1F6F50 or the equivalent CMYK
  • Every font by name, weight and size, "Poppins Bold 42pt"
  • Position of every element, with measurements where they matter
  • Bleed and safe margins for anything printed
  • Annotations explaining the intention, not just labelling the parts

The asset table

AssetTypeSourceFormatDimensionsLicence
logo-markVectorOwn workSVGscalableOwn work
hero-photoRasterUnsplashJPG4000 x 2667Unsplash licence, commercial use permitted
heading-fontFontGoogle FontsWOFF2—SIL Open Font Licence

Every row completed, fonts included, because fonts are licensed software and a commercial project needs a licence that covers commercial use.

Legal considerations

  • Copyright protects images, fonts, music and video automatically, from the moment they are created. Using an asset without permission is infringement, even in a school project.
  • A licence says what you may do with an asset. Creative Commons, stock library and font licences all set conditions, such as crediting the creator or non-commercial use only.
  • A recognisable person in a photograph needs their permission, and another organisation's trademark cannot be used as if it were your client's.
  • Record the source and licence of every asset in the asset table as you find it, not at the end.
Checking whether an asset can legally be usedA decision tree for whether an asset may be used. The first question is whether you made it and own it outright; if so, use it and record it in the asset table as your own work. If not, the question is what licence it carries, which is never answered by saying it was found online. An all rights reserved asset needs permission or a paid licence. A Creative Commons BY asset may be used provided the creator is credited. A Creative Commons BY-NC asset is restricted to non commercial use, so it cannot be used on a site that carries advertising or sells anything. A royalty free or CC zero asset may be used, subject to checking the specific terms, and royalty free means no repeat fee rather than free of charge. Separately from the licence, if the asset shows an identifiable person or private property, a model release or property release is also needed, and for anyone under 16 consent must come from a parent or guardian.Can I use this asset?Did you make it?and own it outrightnoyesUse itrecord it as own workWhat licence does it have?not 'I found it online'All rights reservedAskor pay for a licenceCC BYUse itcredit the creatorCC BY-NCNOT on a site with advertsRoyalty free / CC0Use itcheck the termsDoes the asset show an identifiable person, or private property?Then you also need a model release, or a property release. For under 16s, a parent or guardian must consent.
'I found it on Google' is not a licence. Copyright is automatic, so the default answer is no.

Technical planning

  • Decide RGB or CMYK now, from the destination, not at export
  • Decide vector or raster for each element: the logo and type vector, photographs raster
  • Work out the resolution needed from the final physical size
  • Plan the file naming and versioning before the first save
What must be annotated on a visualisation diagramAn annotated visualisation diagram for an A4 portrait poster. The page itself shows a masthead band across the top, a hero image below it, five lines of body text and a rounded call to action button, with a dashed bleed area drawn outside the trim edge. Every element carries an annotation in the margin. On one side: the masthead is Poppins SemiBold at 42 point, the band is filled with the exact colour hash zero two eight four eight B, the image is the designer's own photograph released under CC zero, the body text is Inter Regular at 11 point on 15 point leading, and the button is filled with hash six F six two nine one with a 14 pixel corner radius. On the other side: the canvas is A4 portrait at 210 by 297 millimetres, the colour mode is CMYK at 300 pixels per inch, a 10 millimetre safe margin is marked, the layout sits on a two column grid with a 6 millimetre gutter, and the file will be exported as a press ready PDF. The test of the document is whether another designer could produce the poster from it without asking a question.A visualisation diagram: the annotations are the documentbleed 3mmMASTHEADhero image2480 x 1240 pxcall to actionMasthead: Poppins SemiBold 42ptFill #02848BImage: own photograph, CC0Body: Inter Regular 11pt / 15ptButton #6F6291, 14px radiusA4 portrait, 210 x 297 mmCMYK, 300 ppiSafe margin 10mmGrid: 2 columns, 6mm gutterExport: press-ready PDFIf another designer could not build it from your diagram, it is not finished
Exact colour values, named fonts with sizes, real dimensions. Writing 'blue' and 'a bold font' is where the marks go.
A completed asset tableA completed asset table, version 3, with the columns asset, type, source, format, dimensions, licence and cleared. The rows are: hero-shopfront, video, own footage, MP4, 1920 by 1080, own work, cleared on 14 March; logo-primary, vector, client supplied, SVG, scalable, client owned, cleared on 2 March; baker-portrait, image, own photograph, JPG, 4000 by 2667, own work, release signed on 9 March; bread-texture, image, from Unsplash, JPG, 3200 by 2133, Unsplash licence, cleared for commercial use; backing-track, audio, from the Free Music Archive, MP3, 2 minutes 14, Creative Commons BY 4.0, cleared with credit required; heading-font, font, from Google Fonts, WOFF2, SIL Open Font Licence, cleared. The last row is marked as a problem: street-shot-02, an image found on a blog, JPG, 1200 by 800, licence unknown, not cleared and marked do not use. That row is why the table exists: an asset with an unknown licence is not a risk to be managed but an asset that cannot be used, and it should be replaced immediately rather than in the week of the deadline. Two further points: fonts and music are both licensed and both routinely forgotten, and a recognisable person needs a release as well as a licence, which for anyone under sixteen must come from a parent or guardian.Asset table: Northgate Bakery · v03 · every asset, every licenceassettypesourceformatdimensionslicencecleared?hero-shopfrontVideoOwn footageMP41920×1080Own workYes — 14/03logo-primaryVectorClient suppliedSVGscalableClient ownedYes — 02/03baker-portraitImageOwn photographJPG4000×2667Own workRelease signed 09/03bread-textureImageUnsplashJPG3200×2133Unsplash licenceYes — commercial okbacking-trackAudioFree Music ArchiveMP32:14CC BY 4.0Yes — credit requiredheading-fontFontGoogle FontsWOFF2—SIL Open FontYesstreet-shot-02ImageFound on a blogJPG1200×800UnknownNO — do not useThe last row is why the table exists.An asset with an unknown licence is not a risk to be managed, it is an asset you cannot use. Replace it now, not in the week of the deadline.Fonts and music count. Both are licensed, both are routinely forgotten, and both are easy to check.A recognisable person needs a release as well as a licence, and for anyone under 16 that release comes from a parent.
The licence column is the one that is assessed, and the one that stops the work being unusable.

Sources and further reading

Key terms you must be able to define

Hierarchy
Ordering elements by size and strength so the most important is read first.
Focal point
The element that draws the eye first.
White space
Empty space around elements, used to make the important ones stand out.
Call to action
The part of a graphic telling the audience what to do next.
Resolution
The detail in an image: for print, dots per inch; for screen, the pixel dimensions.
DPI
Dots per inch: how many printed dots make up each inch of a printed image.
CMYK
The colour mode for print: cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink.
RGB
The colour mode for screens: red, green and blue light.
Vector graphic
An image stored as shapes and paths, which scales to any size without losing quality.
Raster graphic
An image stored as a grid of pixels, which loses quality when enlarged.
Visualisation diagram
An annotated plan of a static graphic, detailed enough to work from.
Asset table
A record of every asset with its source, format, dimensions and licence.
Bleed
Extra artwork beyond the trim edge, so printed colour runs right to the edge.

Flashcards

DefineHierarchy
AnswerOrdering elements by size and strength so the most important is read first.
DefineFocal point
AnswerThe element that draws the eye first.
DefineWhite space
AnswerEmpty space around elements, used to make the important ones stand out.
DefineCall to action
AnswerThe part of a graphic telling the audience what to do next.
DefineResolution
AnswerThe detail in an image: for print, dots per inch; for screen, the pixel dimensions.
DefineDPI
AnswerDots per inch: how many printed dots make up each inch of a printed image.
DefineCMYK
AnswerThe colour mode for print: cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink.
DefineRGB
AnswerThe colour mode for screens: red, green and blue light.

Reach the top grade on this topic

  • Name the graphic's purpose and audience, and let them decide the layout
  • Use and explain layout conventions: hierarchy, focal point, alignment, white space
  • Work out the resolution and colour mode from the destination, with the numbers shown
  • Put exact sizes, colour values and named fonts on the visualisation diagram
  • Complete the asset table as you go, with a source and licence for every asset, fonts included

Mistakes that cost marks here

Avoid these
  • Writing 'blue' and 'a bold font' on a visualisation diagram.
  • Choosing RGB for a printed product, or deciding the colour mode at export.
  • Sourcing a photograph too small for the size it will be printed.
  • Leaving the licence column incomplete, particularly for fonts.
  • Using images found on a search engine without checking who owns them.
  • Labelling the parts of a visualisation diagram without explaining any of them.
Fun fact

An A4 page printed at 300 dots per inch needs nearly nine million pixels, 2480 by 3508. A typical phone screen shows under a third of that, which is why an image that looks sharp on a phone can print badly.

Knowledge check

0 of 10 answered
1A poster for a school fair mainly needs to:
2How should a colour be recorded on a visualisation diagram?
3How many pixels does an A4 page need at 300 dpi?
4Which colour mode should a printed leaflet be designed in?
5Why should a logo be created as a vector?
6Which format suits a logo on a website that needs a transparent background?
7What does the asset table record for every asset?
8Why must the licence of a font be recorded?
9What is bleed?
10What is white space for?
Score 0 / 10

Check you could explain this

13 marks
1Describe three things that must appear on a visualisation diagram, and explain why each is needed.6 marks
Describe

Mark scheme0 / 6
  • LDimensions and orientation
  • LWhy they are needed
  • LExact colour values
  • LWhy they are needed
  • LNamed fonts with sizes
  • LWhy they are needed, or a fourth valid element
Model answer

The canvas dimensions and orientation must be stated, because every other decision depends on the final size: the resolution an image needs, whether a layout works in portrait, and how much space the text can occupy. Exact colour values must be given in hex or CMYK rather than colour names, so that anyone producing the graphic reproduces the same colour, and so a print version matches the screen version instead of shifting. Fonts must be named with their weights and sizes, because a diagram that says 'a bold font' leaves the choice to whoever builds it, and a font that is not installed will be silently substituted, which changes the design.

The marker looks for key phrases. If you said it another way and it is still right, give yourself the mark.

Think this answer or mark scheme is wrong? Report it

2Explain why a logo should be created as a vector graphic rather than a raster graphic.3 marks
Explain

Mark scheme0 / 3
  • LA vector is stored as shapes and paths, not pixels
  • LSo it scales to any size without losing quality
  • LA logo is used at many sizes, from favicon to signage
Model answer

A vector graphic is stored as shapes and paths described mathematically, rather than as a fixed grid of pixels. That means it can be scaled to any size and redrawn perfectly sharp every time, whereas a raster logo blurs and shows jagged edges when enlarged. A logo is used at almost every size there is, from a 16 pixel browser icon to a shop sign or the side of a van, so only a vector master can serve all of those uses from one file.

The marker looks for key phrases. If you said it another way and it is still right, give yourself the mark.

Think this answer or mark scheme is wrong? Report it

3A client wants an A4 poster. The photograph they supplied is 1200 by 800 pixels.Explain the problem this causes, and what the designer should do.4 marks
Explain

Mark scheme0 / 4
  • LA4 at 300 dpi needs about 2480 pixels across
  • LThe photo would print too small, or too low a resolution if stretched
  • LIt would look blurred or pixelated
  • LA solution: a larger original, a smaller placement, or a different image
Model answer

Printed at the 300 dpi expected for print, A4 needs about 2480 pixels across its width, so a photograph 1200 pixels wide would only print about 10 centimetres wide. Stretched to fill the width it would drop to around 145 dpi, and because enlarging cannot add detail, it would look soft and blurred, with visible pixels in the detail. The designer should ask the client for the original, higher resolution file, or source or shoot a different image that is large enough, or redesign the layout so the photograph is used at a smaller size where its resolution is sufficient.

The marker looks for key phrases. If you said it another way and it is still right, give yourself the mark.

Think this answer or mark scheme is wrong? Report it

Machine mark 0 / 13

Stretch tasks

Four games on this topicQuiz Challenge, This or That with Pixel the cat, Memory Match and Sort ItPlay